For Tom, who works as a public policy consultant in Edinburgh, was appointed in the summer to a prestigious position by the chiefs of Clan Donald.
The herald's office of Finlaggan Pursuivant was revived in June 2005, at a ceremony in Glencoe after an absence of 510 years.
The title comes from Finlaggan, near Port Askaig in Islay, which was once the centre of the realm of the Macdonald Lords of the Isles until they lost power in 1493.
Tom, who succeeded Adam Bruce following the latter's appointment as Unicorn Pursuivant, was inducted as Finlaggan Pursuivant in a re-creation of an ancient ceremony at Holyrood in July, in front of Macdonald clansfolk and their supporters, by The Rt Hon. Godfrey Macdonald of Macdonald, 8th Lord Macdonald and Chief of Clan Donald.
Also present at the ceremony, which took place during the international gathering of the clans, held in the capital, were the chiefs of the other main Macdonald branches.
Tom's connection to the mightiest of the Highland clans comes through his father's side of the family, which hails from the Black Isle in Ross-shire and is related to the Macdonalds of Clanranald.
"When I was young I was brought up hearing all the history, stories and traditions, as well as spending plenty of holidays on camping trips to famous clan sites," Tom told TheSouthern this week.
Tom and his wife, Diana, a marketing consultant, have two sons, Johnny and Ted, who are at school and nursery in Kelso respectively.
A pursuivant, or more correctly a pursuivant of arms, is a junior officer of arms. These days. most pursuivants are attached to official heraldic authorities, such as the College of Arms in London or the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh.
However, in the mediaeval era, many great nobles had their own officers of arms and Tom's new role is to look after matters of heraldic and genealogical importance for clan members.
"This position of Finlaggan Pursuivant is a very recent creation, but there were such heralds from medieval times. Once it was agreed by the chiefs of the various branches of the clan, that a herald would be a good idea, it was squared with the Lord Lyon and the first new appointment was made back in 2005.
"Then, when Adam was created a royal herald, they started casting around for someone else to take his place and, as I knew Adam, they asked me if I would be interested.
"I've always loved my Macdonald history and was delighted to accept. As well as taking part in an official process at clan gatherings and meetings, my role is to assist Macdonalds from around the world with any enquiries about their family history."
At his induction ceremony, Tom was presented with a baton of office and had to wear a specially-woven gold tabard emblazoned with the arms of Lord Macdonald – a red spread-eagle with a black galley on the breast – while pipers provided musical accompaniment.
Because no historical records of the original ancient ceremonies to appoint a clan herald still existed, the re-created ceremony was drawn up by Mark Dennis, an advocate and heraldic expert in St Andrews.
And while there are those who will no doubt scoff at such things, Tom believes they are important and that there is still a place for such ceremonies in a modern Scotland, as well as the clans, their chiefs and all the associated heraldry.
"They symbolise our links with our heritage and our past. And I think plenty of Scots are still interested in all that, but they just tend not to 'wear it on their sleeves' like those from America, Canada and other parts of the world do.
"Perhaps that's just to do with the feeling of exile that those from abroad have."
And there will be no-one prouder than Tom when Clan Donald plays a major part in the commemorations planned to mark the 600th aniversary of the Battle of Harlaw in 2011.
Organised by Aberdeen City Council, the event will mark the Battle of Harlaw, which took place on July 24, 1411.
So bloody was the fighting that the battle is known as 'Red' Harlaw. It was triggered after Donald, Lord of the Isles, in a dispute over the Earldom of Ross with the Scottish regent, Robert Duke of Albany, led a Highland host to burn Inverness and attack Aberdeen.
"It should be a fantastic event and I am really looking forward to it. It's a way of keeping our history alive," said Tom.